1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to a read/write head, a method of manufacturing the same, and an information storage device, and more particularly, to an electric field read/write head, a method of manufacturing the same, and an information storage device including the electric field read/write head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Hard Disk Drive (HDD), which is used as a primary storage device of a computer, reads and writes data by rotating a data recording medium and suspending a read/write head over the data recording medium. A related art HDD generally uses a magnetic writing method. That is, the HDD uses a magnetic field to create a plurality of magnetic domains magnetized in a first direction on the magnetic recording medium and in a direction opposite to the first direction (hereinafter, referred to as a “second direction”). Magnetic domains magnetized in the first and second directions correspond to data values “0” and data “1”, respectively.
HDDs employing this magnetic writing method have undergone tremendous increases in their recording densities over the last few decades. Horizontal magnetic writing on HDDs can produce approximately 100 Gb/in2 in recording density, and vertical magnetic writing on HDDs can produce approximately 500 Gb/in2 in recording density.
However, because a magnetic field has the basic shape of a loop, it is difficult for a magnetic read/write head to form a strong localized magnetic field. This basic limitation restricts the ability of the magnetic writing method to increase recording density.
Accordingly, in order to increase the recording density of HDDs that have traditionally used the related art magnetic writing method, other writing methods must be considered.
Recently, research has been conducted into ferroelectric writing media on which data is written using electric fields, instead of magnetic fields, and corresponding read/write heads (electric field read/write heads). The electric field writing method uses an electric field to form electric domains polarized in a first direction and in a direction opposite to the first direction on a ferroelectric surface. Electric domains polarized in the first and second directions correspond to data values “0” and data “1”, respectively. The resistance of the electric field read/write head above an electric domain changes according to the polarized direction of the electric domain, so that the data written in the electric domain can be discerned.
An electric field read/write head for this electric field writing method can be a scanning probe with a field effect transistor channel configuration or a scanning probe with a resistive tip. When scanning probe microscope (SPM) technology in which the above scanning probes are used is utilized, a stronger and more localized energy (electric field) can be emitted in electric field writing than that in magnetic writing, thereby increasing recording density to 1 Tb/in2 or higher.
However, in the electric field writing method based on SPM technology, a problem relating to friction and wear arises due to surfaces of a sharp probe and a recording medium contacting each other. Also, in order to use a probe-type head to form a compact and large-capacity data storage device, several thousand probe arrays must be formed, and the recording medium must be linearly moved to precisely track over the thousands of probe arrays on the recording medium. Here, during a writing operation, signals must be applied separately to each probe, and during a reading operation, signals from the respective probes must be processed separately. These restrictive elements prohibit the realization of a compact and large capacity data storage device that uses electric field writing based on SPM technology.
Thus, new read/write heads that can overcome the problems of using probes need to be used, and an information storage device using the electric field writing method to which a driving mechanism that is more secure and reliable is applied is required.